Slanted Mind
by DarkerEvolutions
Summary: Saint Ann's Hospital is a place for mentally ill young adults, and when a new patient is transferred to their facility the world there is turned upside down for a handful of the other patients. Can they overcome their problems and be deemed cured, or will
1. New Arrival

Rating: R

Warning: The rating should be enough of a warning.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters of Beyblade.

Summary: Saint Ann's Hospital is a place for mentally ill young adults, and when a new patient is transferred to their facility the world there is turned upside down for a handful of the other patients. Can they overcome their problems and be deemed cured, or will they become yet another slanted mind?

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Slanted Mind

Chapter I - New Arrival

The screeching of the speakers and the tapping from the other end's microphone sounded in everyone's room as well as in all of the hallways and public rooms of Saint Ann's Hospital. It was the same thing everyday just before it the announcement came to report to everyone's respective rooms for lights out. Finally the head nurse cleared her throat and spoke into the microphone, her elderly voice high-pitched and as equally highly annoying.

"Everyone is to report to their rooms early tonight, but lights out is still at nine o'clock sharp. All patients please proceed to their proper rooms. Thank you, that will be all," and with an audible click the announcement system was flicked off.

Murmuring amongst themselves the teenage patients went about lazily to comply with what they had been asked of. There had been a hushed whisper earlier on in the day about an earlier call to rooms, but even so it rarely ever happened. Down the west wing of the hospital the girls were roomed two to a room, and the boys likewise in the east wing of the hospital.

Just as everyone had entered their rooms the sound of shattering glass filled the now empty halls, echoing eerily against the walls as nearly every single head popped out of the doorway to see, if possible, what the cause of the sudden noise was. Only those who dared to wander and look past the corner of the hallways would see the commotion at the greeting point of the hospital.

Nurses and orderlies were rushing down the halls, ushering the kids back into their rooms while on their way towards the main entrance area at the north end of the building. Not far behind them was Dr. Judy Tate, a well-loved psychiatrist to both the workers of the hospital and the patients alike.

As Judy ran by Tyson's room, as he had yet to peer out his door to see what was the cause of all the noise, his interest finally perked, dark blue eyes lifting from his comic. Flipping the pages closed, not after marking the corner of the page down where he had left off, the seventeen year old slipped from his sprawled position on his bed and stuck his head out his door like many of the other patients still were doing.

What is it, make all the noise you can day? Who in their right mind would be throwing such a fit at this hour? It didn't take long for Tyson's curiosity to be answered, as the scuffle that was going on moved from being out of his view to now running down at an all out sprint towards the south end of the hospital. There was one teen being chased by a good number of nurses and orderlies, and they didn't seem to thrilled to be running down the hall to late at night.

A new kid? Well now isn't this funny. I can't believe something so small is making all that big of a fuss! Well I hope he teaches some of those old hags to respect us. With an amused grin that flashed his white teeth Tyson watched the white attired nurses and orderlies chase after the new kid, Dr. Judy Tate not far behind them. _I wonder how far he's going to get before he's caught._ Daring to move from out of his room he tiptoed to the corner of the hallway, peering around to watch the chase end near the entrance of the door leading to the outside grounds.

With an amused grin that flashed his white teeth Tyson watched the white attired nurses and orderlies chase after the new kid, Dr. Judy Tate not far behind them. Daring to move from out of his room he tiptoed to the corner of the hallway, peering around to watch the chase end near the entrance of the door leading to the outside grounds. 

Yelling, punching, kicking, and biting the new kid didn't seem to want to give any ground to the stronger and larger men trying to hold him down. Aquamarine eyes were filled with a clash of fear and deep seeded anger while a head of pale powder blue colored hair remained to be a tussled mess from the quarrel going on.

Watching as the head nurse jogged by with a syringe of sedatives Tyson gave a disappointed sigh. _Well it looks as if the fun's over. That kid's going to be out of it before he even knew what hit him. I just feel sorry for who provoked him into such a fit. Poor Boris is going to have a sore cheek for awhile._

"No, stop it! Let go of his arm before it's pulled out the socket because of his struggling. I said release his arm this instant!" The commanding voice that yelled over the fighting was Judy's, a concerned yet furious look in her kind eyes as the orderly reluctantly let go of the kid's once tightly held arm. Freshly darkening marks were starting to become visible from where the man had once had a hold on the slender wrist.

"Just let him go, all the doors are locked. You're making him upset and stressing him out. You're only making it worse, now release him this instant!" The anger and displeasure in Judy's voice surprised Tyson, as he had never thought that the doctor had even a single mean bone in her body, as she was always nice, even to those who were mean to her.

Despite the direct orders the men refused to let go of the boy, seemingly for their own safety, yet as the head nurse came closer with the needle the struggling from the teenager became twice as worse and the whole mess came to end with the needle neatly stuck into the orderly's arm rather than the kid's. Briefly he was free from anyone's grasp and looked as if he was going to bolt again.

Home run for the home team. Snickering at the orderly now being escorted to the restricted office Tyson stuck his tongue out at the man. He had never liked him, and he wasn't too picky about who he was friends with. The man was just as bad as Boris was, if not worse at times when in a bad mood.

"No, no. Don't run, just look at what I have here." Judy was now holding out a stuffed animal of some kind with her voice gentle and soft, and at closer inspection it was a black panther with bright green eyes. It looked a bit worn, and the kid seemed to recognize it right away and snatch it away from her hands. As the orderlies stepped forward to take a hold of him Dr. Tate shook her head, placing a hand on the now docile teen standing next to her clutching the plushy.

Well what do you know, the kid is quelled by a simple stuffed animal. What a story that is.. Better get back to my room, though. Last thing I need is to have some of my stars taken away from me. With one last glance down the hall Tyson went back to his room to wait until lights out just like all the other patients.

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"Tyson Granger! Get up off that dirty floor this instant!" The middle-aged nurse that had just spoken was now standing in Tyson's doorway with her hands on her hips, beady eyes dark and glaring at the unconcerned male.

"Yes 'mother'," answered the navy haired teen as he sat up from having been lying down and reading his comic book on the floor. In truth the floor wasn't dirty, as it was cleaned weekly, just like every room in the hospital was. There was little doubt that he was going to be in any harm if he fell asleep on the floor reading his comic book.

"Don't use that tone of voice with me mister. You had better be on your best behavior the next time I see you or I'm going to take away five of your stars," threatened the nurse as she stood in Tyson's doorway, acting as if the boy was going to try to force her out of his room.

"What! Five stars! Lady, you're killing me here." At the comment the nurse's face lit up with bright red anger. 'You're killing me here' was an inside joke of the hospital, and the patients were well ready to use the comment to get the nurses or orderlies to back off. Of course they usually got into trouble for using the comment.

"What is that is your hand? A comic book? Tyson Granger! Where on earth did you get that piece of atrocity? I thought you would've learned the first ten times around that you are not to have those… those things in your room." Stepping into the room she made a swipe to try to snatch the comic book from Tyson only to have him stick it up his shirt and step aside. It was then that he noticed that the nurse wasn't alone.

"Hey, well looky there. It's the kid from earlier who gave you people a run for your money. Say, how's mister orderly doing? Still asleep? Good. Maybe next time he'll listen when Dr. Tate tells him to do something. It serves him right." Moving over to his bed Tyson flopped himself out on it carelessly, grinning slowly at the nurse.

"That just lost you two stars, Granger. And this is your new roommate. His name is Damian Pierce, and you had better treat him better than your last roommate. Now it's near light's out, and I expect you to show him the ropes around here Tyson." With that the flustered woman ushered Damian into to room and shut as well as locked the door behind her.

Glancing at the small black gym bag that the other teen carried Tyson gestured to the dresser in the far corner of the small room. "You can have the two bottom drawers, and as long as you keep your hands off my stuff I'll keep my hands off yours. But you can always read my stack of comic on the top there. Dr. Tate gives them to me because it keeps me from making trouble for the nurses to deal with."

With a mute nod Damian moved over to the dresser, kneeling down and sitting back on his feet before opening the bottom drawer and stuffing the whole gym bag in there carelessly. It didn't seem as if he had any intent on actually folding his clothes. In fact the ones he wore were slightly wrinkled, if not looking a bit too big for him. An old pale blue tee-shirt hung over his thin frame, his darker blue swishy jogging pants much too long for his legs and hiding the worn white sneakers he wore.

"That was quite a show you put on earlier, and all for that stuffed animal there, eh?" Dark blue eyes watched as their new roommate moved to sit stiffly at the edge of the bed, the said plushy held tightly to his chest with one arm. Declan proceeded to quietly toe off his shoes, not looking up from the floor.

"Midnight.." The word was barely a whisper, and at first Tyson thought he was hearing things, which wasn't exactly anything all that new when it came to annoying people. "What was that? You're going to have to speak up if you want me to even try to comprehend what you're saying."

Staring through pale blue lashes a pair of aquamarine eyes settled on Tyson, their uneasy look gaining an edge of confidence before the teen spoke up. "His name is Midnight, and he's a black panther, not a stuffed animal. He doesn't like to be called that.." He spoke slowly and quietly, as if certain he was going o be made fun of for saying what he did.

Chuckling and giving a dismissing shrug Tyson held his hands up defensively. "I didn't mean anything by it. Look I'll tell him sorry if it'll make you happy. Look, mister Midnight, you blank panther you, I'm sorry. Anyways my name's Tyson, and welcome to Saint Ann's."

"You're bi?" It was more of a question than a statement, Damian's voice picking up more of a calm and less defensive tone to it as he moved to hug Midnight with both arms, despite the soreness of the one which had been wrenched behind his back by one of the orderlies.

"Bi-Polar? Yeah, I am, but on the other hand I'm not bisexual. I'm actually gay, but I'm not going to jump you in your sleep or anything. I have my eyes and heart on someone else, and I'm a one man person thank you." Watching his new roommate closely for any flinch or distaste towards his confession Tyson was mildly surprised when none came, only a simple nod and shift in attention it seemed.

"What about you? Do you have some kind of obsessive-compulsive order or something?" It was only a guess from what the navy-haired teen had seen already, as Damian seemed mildly obsessed with his stuffed animal. However he wasn't going to go about making assumptions, as that usually got one into trouble at Saint Ann's.

"No.." There was a pause, as if Damian was contemplating his words. "They don't really know for sure what I have, but they've put together a few guesses." A dismissive shrug was given, as if it really didn't matter what the doctors thought. "They say that I have depression, general anxiety disorder, and schizophrenia." The teen lay back on the mattress, curling on there on his side facing the wall as Tyson looked at him.

"Well that's quite a list you have there. I'll take you to go see my friends tomorrow; you'll love to meet them and I think they'd like you. I'll warn you now not mind how skinny Rei is, because he has anorexia nervosa, and his protective boyfriend is Kai. He's a manic-depressive, but don't mind how distant or dark he might seem because he's still a good person. Tala on the other hand is someone you should stay away from when he's sitting down reading. He's been in this place the longest and has post-traumatic stress disorder as well as depression. He doesn't say much most of the time, unless it's to Kai, and he has a mad tempter when people bother him." Just as he finished the lights went out in the room signaling nine o'clock lights out. "Lights out kid, get some sleep before you take on your first full day here."

"What does Tala look like?" questioned Damian slowly, and then quickly adding on in a rushed whisper, "So I can avoid him." It was almost as if he thought Tyson my assume otherwise, but he could hear the other shrug through the darkness of the room and give a light chuckle. This calmed Damian, and he waited quietly for his response.

"He's pretty tall, though not as tall as Rei is--and don't get me wrong about this next comment, but he really is a pretty boy with those chilling blue eyes of his and his red hair. However he's like a frigid ice cube. Which reminds me," yawned Tyson as he rolled onto his other side dismissively. "It gets cold at night here, now get some sleep." It wasn't long after that Tyson's gentle snores filled the room.


	2. Meeting Tala

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Rating: R

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Warning: The rating should be enough of a warning.

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Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters of Beyblade, but I do own Damian

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Summary: Saint Ann's Hospital is a place for mentally ill young adults, and when a new patient is transferred to their facility the world there is turned upside down for a handful of the other patients. Can they overcome their problems and be deemed cured, or will they become yet another slanted mind?

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Slanted Mind

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Chapter II - Meeting Tala

"Tyson.." There was a groan as the said teen rolled over, pulling a blanket over his head and fell back asleep. An insistent shove given to his shoulder, yet he still slept right through it as if it was nothing but in his dreams. Another call of his name was given, and when Tyson didn't answer he felt a small tug upon the blanket that was covering him. A long pause then settled in, and the navy-haired teen was falling back into a deep slumber when there was a sharp tug upon the blanket. This caused the teen to fall from the bed with the pulled blanket, dark blue eyes slipping open groggily.

"What the hell was that for..?" Tyson didn't sound too happy, sitting up from his position sprawled out on the floor where he fell. Damian was hovering over him, panther plushy being hugged with one arm while the other hand held the corner of the blanket from having pulled it along with Tyson off the bed.

"I'm hungry…We're going to miss breakfast." Standing up fully Damian let go of the corner of the blanket, glancing over towards the open door. "I don't know where the cafeteria is.." He still spoke quietly, as if shy or even unsure. Aquamarine eyes held a tired look to them, as if no sleep was gotten the night before.

"Alright, alright… I'm up then." With a large yawn Tyson gave a slow stretch before rising to his feet, messily shoving his blanket back onto his bed. A fresh shirt was then wrestled on from his drawer, navy hair being pulled back into a ponytail at the nape of his neck with a rubber band. Even as he went about leading Damian out of the room and down the hall he still looked half asleep; dead to the world.

Wandering into the cafeteria Tyson went through explaining to Damian how things went in the lunch room, telling him where he and his friends usually sat and what the servers usually put out for meals. He then watched as the new kid retrieved only a muffin to eat and found his way back to his side. With a yawn Tyson then proceeded to tell the other what his friends looked like, explaining more about them as he led the quietly eating teen to the lounge.

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"Now remember what I told you, Damian. Don't bother Tala if he'd reading, no one in their right mind would. Don't mention anything about Rei being too skinny and not eating enough, and Kai's just Kai. He's an ass, but he'll warm up to you after awhile. Oh, and never go to the showers alone. If you want to take one just come get one of us and we'll stand outside the stall and wait for you. Look, there they are." Waving with a big grin on his face Tyson dragged a reluctant Damian into the main lounge.

The floor was carpeted and there were groups of chairs and couches around the room while small tables were grouped here and there. Most of the kids who didn't have enough stars to go anywhere stayed in the main lounge, and the atmosphere was always calm despite the crowds of people around the tables.

Sitting down on one of the couches near the left side of the room was Kai, a hand resting lightly on Rei's thigh as he sat on the arm of the couch. Both seemed pleased to see Tyson, though mildly curious at the protesting person he was dragging behind him. Tala on the other hand was sitting away from the group against a wall with a worn book in his hands. Every looked as if they were giving him a wide birth.

"Hey Tyson! You're up early today, what's the occasion?" Grinning in a cat-like manner Rei received a friendly punch in the shoulder from Tyson who finally let go of Damian's unbruised but now red wrist. The aquamarine eyed teen was quite intent on looking at everywhere but at the others in front of him.

"My new roommate woke me up trying to get me to get to breakfast on time because he was hungry. I don't blame him though, as I doubt he got any dinner last night when he arrived. He was the cause of all the commotion last night, which reminds me to ask the nurse if the orderly is still sleeping. All I have to say is that he deserved it after not listening to Judy. I mean she was furious as hell with the night team because they wouldn't listen to her orders." With a large smile Tyson went on talking even as Rei tried to interrupt him by constantly saying his name, amber eyes following after Damian as he moved to sit next to Tala.

"As small as the kid is he put up on hell of a fight, and he even won! Judy wouldn't let them sedate him, and I bet you that the staff wasn't even briefed on the kid's file. They hardly ever read anything they're supposed to, and we all know it-"

"Tyson…"

"But they're all asses anyways. I mean you should see the bruises that they put on the new kid. It was like they were actually trying to hurt him, and that's against all the rules in the book. Even I know that, which as you would say is something-"

"Tyson.."

"Oh and you should've seen him hit that big and tall guy they call Boris! That one is going to leave a mark indefinitely. Boris was pissed as can be though, and if I know him he's going to try to get back at the kid to hitting him. I mean not even Kai could get a punch in, but you only had a scuffle once-"

"Tyson," growled Rei as his amber eyes showed clear impatience for being ignored.

"And all that the kid needed to calm down was his stuffed animal, I mean Midnight. That's his name, it's a panther. In fact I don't think I've seen him put it down once since I saw Judy give it to him. But anyways I told him I would introduce him to you guys. He's got some list going on about what the doctors' think is wrong with him. Lets see… He said something about general anxiety disorder…-"

"Tyson Granger…"

"Depression, and schizophrenia. I think they've got it all wrong, but I've only known him for what, one night? But yeah, the kid's name is Damian Pierce-"

"Tyson Granger! Shut your trap and look around you. Your new friend is going into bad territory." Rei's voice was filled with impatience, but he made gesture towards the general direction in which Tala was sitting. Kai was just watching on with a mild smirk.

"Huh, what do you mean? He's right behind me…" Turning around Tyson found the spot that Damian had once been indeed bare of his presence, his dark blue eyes blinking in mild surprise before turning a bit too late to watch at his roommate took a quiet seat next to Tala.

"What does he think he's doing! I had to at least tell him a hundred times to leave Tala alone, and I even gave him a detailed description of him before we came here. Hey! Dam-" A hand grabbed his wrist and tightened, silencing Tyson as his attention turned to find Kai to be the source of the hand.

"Lets just see what happens Tyson. He's already sitting down next to him, so there's no need to go and drag him back over here and risk another incident. I'd like to have a halfway decent day for once if you wouldn't mind. Just shut up and sit down already." With that Kai released Tyson's wrist, sitting back against the couch as Rei settled himself on a cushion beside him.

Sitting down as told to in a nearby chair Tyson muttered to himself under his breath, crossing his arms in a mock pout. "You're just trying to get him killed…" Blue eyes turned to watch Damian and Tala slowly, ready to stand up and go over there if need be.

Bringing his knees to his chest and hugging Midnight with his one arm that wasn't sore Damian leaned back against the wall, closing his aquamarine eyes and allowing the silence to overcome him. Despite Tyson's constant warning's he felt quite safe sitting so near Tala as he read from his worn book, taking his time to let himself settle away from the prodding eyes of the other patients other than Tyson and his two friends.

"You should change your bandages before they bleed through anymore than they already have," muttered Tala as he turned the page of his book, his azure eyes never leaving the words it looked.

Startled Damian snapped his attention to Tala, shrinking away slightly as he now clutch his bandage wrapped hand and wrist to his chest. The wound on his wrist was from the orderly, and the small gashes on his hand under the bandages were from the glass he had shattered when the fit first started.

"I take it Tyson told you that I'm some vicious person that's going to hurt you if you sit next to me when I'm reading?" In response Tala received a meek nod from Damian only to soon sigh and close his book to look towards the teen sitting next to him.

"As true as it is that I've hurt people for merely bothering me while I'm reading you didn't bother me. You sat there, remained quiet, and didn't stare." The tone of his voice was unusually flat, lacking any shift in tone to signal emotion. Azure eyes glanced over Damian's form, taking in his light hair and aquamarine eyes while noting his too large clothes and the stuffed panther under his arm.

"What's his name?" Tala made a small gesture towards the plushy with the hand holding his book, his eyes however ever seeming now glued to Damian's face which shifted into a partial smile. Unconsciously Tala found himself returning that smile, rather wanting to see it brighten and the look of partial fear in the aquamarine colored eyes to fade away.

"His name is Midnight. We didn't want to disturb you from reading, but it was quieter to sit over here. I didn't want people to start asking me questions about last night… They took Midnight away from me, and he doesn't like that. They were going to put him into the trash like a broken toy." With a frown Damian hugged Midnight to his chest protectively. "My name is Damian, Damian Pierce."

"I'm sure Judy has taken care of everything and won't let them take him away from you. May I..?" Reaching out his other hand Tala made a move to touch the stuffed panther, and only upon receiving a nod did he touch and pet the plushy briefly on the head. "Hello Midnight." Lifting his hand he brushed the fingertips lightly across the smooth skin covering Damian's cheekbone, smirking inwardly at the suddenly very shy expression that came to the teen's face. "Hello Damian."

"See, he's perfectly fine sitting over there by Tala. If you've ever bothered to ask Tala why he goes after people who bother him when he's reading he'll tell you it's because they try talking to him, or they stare at him. The new kid did neither, and now that Tala isn't reading anymore we might as well as go over there to see what they're talking about." Shooting a warning look to Tyson to make sure he wouldn't say anything about the whole matter Kai soon rose from his seat only to have the two other he was sitting with do the same.

"They're probably talking about you Tyson and how you've such a big and loud mouth." Smirking slyly Rei hid himself on the other side of Kai as Tyson made a move to take a playful punch at his shoulder again. Even as Tyson made a move to lunge at him around Kai the raven-haired teen was moving around the Russian and out of reach, grinning the whole way.

"Well look what the cat dragged in. I wonder if it's even identifiable. Why Tyson, up so early are we? No wonder the cat is having fun poking at you with a stick then ducking away behind its guard dog." Tala's words were dripping with sarcasm as he turned his attention to the approaching three.

"Why must you guys always pick on me.." Playing mock hurt Tyson jutted out his bottom lip, crossing his arms at his chest and acting as if he was trying to keep from crying. He didn't act very well because the corner of his mouth kept quirking up in a smile, and soon enough he was smiling full fledge, well knowing the others were just playing around.

"You know we love you Tyson, but you're the one who always takes the bait, we only provide it." Sticking his tongue out at his navy haired friend Rei soon shifting his amber eyes to Damian who was all but looking at them or seeming to pay much attention. It actually looked almost as if he was asleep sitting there, head cradled in his arms and cheek resting against the stuffed panther Midnight.

"Say Tyson, did you happen to even ask if he got any sleep last night? You know that the only reason the other kid was moved out of your room was because he complained nonstop about the fact that you snore while you sleep, and not just that but you sleep like a log and are a hell of a person to try to get up in the morning." Curious amber eyes that belonged to Rei blinked softly at Damian before shifting to whom the words had been directed to.

"Well, no…. Who sleeps their first night here anyways? It's like a bad omen or something if you do." Shrugging Tyson made himself comfortable sitting cross-legged in front of Tala. It wasn't as if they were going to be moving anytime soon since lunch was so far away and no one had therapy until after lunch out of the four of them. As for Declan, no one was really sure what his schedule was.

"Then you must be certainly cursed. You slept your first day here, and frankly so did I and most of the other kids here. What's his problem anyways? He's insane to have been picking fights with the orderlies and nurses last night," questioned Kai as he sat down with Rei settling down to sit on his lap.

"Hello, can anyone say schizophrenia? I told you that the doctors were trying to tell him he had that among other things. Do you people even bother to listen to me when I tell you things?" complained Tyson with a roll of his dark blue eyes. It would never fail when the things he said merely went over people's heads.

"What was that Tyson? I'm sorry I didn't catch what you just said." With a smirk Tala gave a shrug of indifference. "He's probably calmer around other kids anyways, as his breathing his calm a rhythmic. If he feels safe enough here to sleep out of his room, then let him be. The last thing we need is to have you agitating him to wake up and go after you." With a yawn Tala leaned more fully against the wall behind him, keeping one eye on Damian and the other on those whom he was speaking to.

The hours the day went on as slow as this, Damian eventually waking and wandering off with Tyson after lunch. Tala had dispersed into the library by himself, leaving Rei and Kai to do as they pleased without the others around. They merely spent time in each other's company in one of the free rooms, quietly talking amongst themselves.


	3. Shadows

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Rating: R

****

Warning: The rating should be enough of a warning.

****

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters of Beyblade.

****

Summary: Saint Ann's Hospital is a place for mentally ill young adults, and when a new patient is transferred to their facility the world there is turned upside down for a handful of the other patients. Can they overcome their problems and be deemed cured, or will they become yet another slanted mind?

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Slanted Mind

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Chapter III - Shadows

"You left him alone, by himself on his first day here? Tyson, what the hell is wrong with you? I doubt he knows where everything is, much less how things work around here. Did you even bother to show him where the schedules are for the week and explain to him about the stars?" Rei was pacing back and forth as he spoke to Tyson, the navy-haired teen sprawled out on the carpeted floor of one of the smaller lounge rooms reading a comic book.

"Look, he's the one that ended up walking off. I'm not here to watch him like some kind of watchdog like Kai watches you. He'll come around and find us when he wants to, Rei. I don't see what you're worrying about." With a yawn Tyson turned the page of the comic he was reading.

"You know very well Tyson that kids that are new here don't trust people just with a snap of the fingers. He might not even try to find us, and as he is your roommate you need to keep an eye on him to make sure he's getting along okay." It was Kai who spoke up this time, crimson eyes watching his lover pace back and forth in front of him before getting agitated enough to reach out and grab the Chinese boy by the waist and pull him to sit on his lap.

"I didn't ask for your two cents, Kai…. Anyways, I can't keep an eye on him twenty-four hours a day seven days a week. I need time to myself just like everyone else. Have a little faith in Damian; he seems like a good kid despite what the doctors might say about him in his file. If he can hold his own against Boris, then he can hold his own against anyone else." With a shrug of his shoulders Tyson dismissed the subject, letting his mind concentrate on the comic he was reading.

"He was provoked to react like that, though. I might not have seen the whole quarrel, but anyone acting like that when they have been docile around the four of us for so long can only be provoked to be so verbal and vicious. Do you think that Tyson's right in thinking he just needs time to himself?" Leaning back against Kai and making himself comfortable snuggled up against the other teen Rei leaned against his love.

"Don't stress yourself out over it, kitten. There haven't been any incidents in several weeks, so I think the new kid will be just fine by himself for now. If he doesn't show up an hour before dinner we'll just go looking for him. He could be sleeping in his bed for all we know and worrying over nothing at all. Just relax." Bringing his hand to gently massage the tense muscles at Rei's next Kai soon shifted himself to put the Chinese boy on the chair while he stood.

"Stay here and keep Tyson company while I go find Tala. I want to speak with him about something for a moment. I'll be back in ten, and if I'm not back go ahead and come and find me." Flashing a half smile to Rei the Russian teen exited the smaller room, closing the door behind him so that the two inside wouldn't have to worry about being bothered by anybody.

It wasn't hard to Kai to find the red head he was looking for, as he was in his usual spot in the extensive library that the hospital had. Settled in a plush dark blue colored loveseat in the back left corner of the library was Tala, a newer book in his hands which by the look of the small amount of pages at the beginning showed that it had just been started.

As if sensing Kai entering the smaller reading area he was in Tala lifted his azure colored eyes lifting from the pages of the book and gazed slowly at his friend. It wasn't often that people sought him out when he secluded himself to read, but when Kai was the one to come to find him it was usually important.

"Starting a new book?" questioned Kai as he moved to sit in a chair just sitting directly in front of Tala. A slow and quizzical while seemingly flat look crossed the red head's features just before turning his eyes back to the book to continue reading. It wasn't hard to split his attention enough to pay attention what was being said to him while reading as well.

Tilting his head to read the name of the book on the bridge Kai gave a slow nod, leaning back slowly in his hair as he did so. "The Catcher In The Rye. You've read that book more than ten times now, yet I still don't see why they keep it in this library. It's banned from a lot of schools."

With a sigh Kai got down to what he had come to find Tala for, knowing that the other teen didn't like beating around the bush very much. "Look, I was hoping that you could possibly keep an eye on the new kid since you two seem to get along well enough. Tyson is slacking off in his room duties again and he let the kid walk away. His whereabouts now are currently unknown other than the fact that we know that he's alone. Granger won't go look for him, and I don't want to go looking for him myself and frighten him off."

The matter seemed to grab Tala's interest just barely as his eyes shifted back to look at Kai coldly over the top of the book in his hands. Taking this as a sign to go on Kai did so, crossing his arms at his chest. "I think we'd all appreciate it if you went and found him before something could happen to him. I don't know what kind of vibes you got off of him, but I don't think he's stable enough to be wandering around alone just yet."

Upon seeing the page of the book being folded down smoothly and the book soon closed Kai rose from his seat. "If you bring him back to the smaller room that we are always in then I'll keep and eye on him with Rei so you can get back to reading here in the library. With Boris being as angry as he is for getting hit by Damian we need to watch that kid's steps until it's safe enough for him."

Following Kai out of the library Tala soon split off to another direction, heading off down towards the cafeteria end of the hospital to start his search. Kai returned to the smaller lounge room where he found Tyson asleep on the floor and Rei waiting for him to come back while flipping channels on the TV in the room.

-----

It had been about a half an hour since Damian had wandered off from being around Tyson, whom was talking to Dr. Tate about getting another comic book the next week. The navy-haired teen didn't seem to notice, as he soon wandered off to one of the other rooms as if on autopilot from normal routine. Now he was wandering down the boy's hallway, merely trying to find out what places were where.

As he reached towards the end of the hall he started to double back, noting the entrance to the showers at the very end of the hall and taking heed of the warning Tyson had given him. If it was that dangerous to go there alone then he wouldn't go there unless someone was with him, even if that meant asking one of Tyson's friends to come.

"Hey, new kid." Calling from behind Damian was another male standing just by the door to the showers, yet the aquamarine eyed teen didn't seem to take notice of being called, feet still carrying him down the hall as he clutched the black panther plushy to his chest with his unbandaged hand.

"Hey kid, I'm talking to you." There were the sound of footsteps behind Damian, but he just kept on walking as if in his own world, head down as he whispered softly to himself random quotes from numerous sources spreading from poetry to speeches and stories.

__

'O Death the Healer, scorn thou not, I pray,  
To come to me: of cureless ills thou art  
The one physician. Pain lays not its touch  
Upon a corpse.'

'Of joys departed,

Not to return, how painful the remembrance.'

'Here 's a sigh to those who love me,  
And a smile to those who hate;  
And whatever sky 's above me,  
Here 's a heart for every fate.'

The whispered words were abruptly stopped when a strong hand grabbed Damian's shoulder and whirled him around to face the older teen who had been speaking to him. He was tall and fairly built, yet the dark circles under his pale blue eyes showed he suffered from some sort of sleeping disorder. He didn't let go of the shoulder he hand grabbed, and the fierce grip made Damian wince.

"I said I was talking to you, maybe next time you will have learned enough manners to stop and speak with me. You're in my end of the hallway, and you're going to learn to respect me and what I want." The teen tightened his grip for emphasis only to start dragging Damian forcefully with him towards the room to the showers in which he had been avoiding.

With a light whimper the pale powder blue haired teen attempted to escape from the grip that the other had on him onto to the roughly shoved through the shower room doors and to end up pushed smack into a tile covered stall wall. Aquamarine eyes searched around franticly, hoping that at least one person would be around to possibly help him.

"Like I said you're going to have to learn manners and how to respect me. If you scream I'm only going to make it hurt worse, so you just better keep it quite kid." Snatching Midnight away from Damian the older teen tossed it aside and onto the tile floor only to grab Damian as he went to run after the plushy. "You don't need that for what I'm going to do to you, kid."

Damian's smaller frame was pushed up against the wall, pinned against it by the taller and more brute form of the older teen as his hands were held above his head tightly. "Stop squirming punk and you might just enjoy this." The warm breath on Damian's neck made him freeze, aquamarine eyes wide as a small whimper of protest left his throat. There was a chuckle before the older teen latched his lips onto Damian's own, thrusting his tongue into his mouth as Damian parted his lips in surprise as the older teen rocked his hips against his.

As Damian made a move to nip bitterly and defiantly at the tongue the muscle was removed from his mouth, yet he was rewarded by a sharp slap to the face that left a stinging mark of red. "You had better behave, kid. I can make this so much painful for you." And to prove his point the older teen turned Damian around so that he was pressed stomach first against the tile wall, hands still pinned above his head while the wandering hand snaked down to slip dangerously low into his pants. Constant and almost desperate rocking of the older teen's hips against Damian's ass seem to only drive on the hand, soon slipping under boxers and starting to pump Damian's own member in time with the rocking.

A muffled cry of sobs was given as the older teen gave one last harsh rock on his hips, his grunt hidden as teeth sunk into tender exposed flesh at the shoulder bringing forth the taste of metallic blood. The teen had reached his release, and seemed quite pleased when he felt to smaller teen do the same into his hand. "I look forward to having this pleasure in the future. Welcome to Saint Ann's."

Allowing Damian to drop to the cold tile floor and curl up the other male moved to wash his hand of the evidence, grinning at the kid on the floor before leaving to change his pants in his room and leaving the shower room. The quiet sobs soon died down into a silent trickle of tears, aquamarine eyes staring blankly at the far wall of the show room as he lay there on the floor curled up and shivering.

----

Having searched through all the activity rooms, the main lobby, and now going through the rooms of the boy's hall Tala was starting to grow slightly concerned. He had already passed Tyson's room, and Damian hadn't been in it. There was very little doubt the teen had steered clear of the girl's rooms, so that just left the guys' rooms and the showers.

Azure eyes shifted from glancing in all the open rooms, watching as a smirking older teen stepped out of the showers and slipped into his own room only to shut the door behind him. Furrowing his brows Tala turned his attention towards the door of the showers, well knowing that the bulky teen that had just walked from the showers had a bad habit of pinning up other boys there for his own pleasure and amusement.

Second guessing himself Tala knew very well that the showers were the only place he hadn't checked yet, and as much as he didn't wish to go and find out what was behind those doors he knew he had to find Damian before someone else did and took advantage of the situation. Passing the closed door just by the showers Tala glared coldly at the wooden surface as if he could freeze it with his mind only to slowly push open the door of the shower room and peek his head in to briefly glance around.

Flinching back at the sight before him Tala had to brace himself to keep from bolting, azure eyes settling upon the curled up form of Damian on the floor. Hardening his gaze the red head stepped into the room fully, allowing the door to shut behind him noiselessly. There was no sign that Damian even noticed that was in the tiled room with him, but the blank yet hurting look in his aquamarine eyes was enough.

Stepping closer Tala stooped down to pick up Midnight, kneeling a good foot away from Damian while he held out the plushy. "Damian, Midnight is missing you." It took a moment but the pale blue haired teen finally snatched the plushy from Tala's hands, seeming as eager to hold it, as he was fearful that Tala might actually hurt him.

Knowing better than to flat out ask about what happened Tala went about looking for any injuries that he could see visibly from where he knelt only to rise to his feet slowly and move over to the sink. "That red mark is going to leave a nasty bruise on your cheek. It's already starting to turn away from its red hue…"

Taking a wad of paper towel from the dispenser Tala soaked it in icy cold water, wringing it out enough so that it only damp before kneeling back down next to Damian who had yet to even shift from his curled up spot on the floor. "Look, I'm going to put this wet paper towel on your cheek before it starts to swell even more. I'd be lying if I said it won't hurt."

Reaching out the red head slowly extended his arm only to press the cold paper towel onto the swollen and abused patch of skin on Damian's left cheek. There was barely even a flinch away from the pain from the teen as Tala moved the paper towel to rest to more cover the full bruising area of the cheek. It wasn't until then that he noticed the bite wound bleeding through his shirt. "That bastard…" Narrowing his azure eyes a darker and more predator-like look came to their orbs, and as Tala rose to leave the shower room to go after the guy who had done this to Damian he found himself being held back by a hand grabbing his wrist.

"Don't go….Please.." There was a soft sob before Damian spoke up again. "Don't leave me alone…" Aquamarine eyes stared up at Tala; their globes swarming with unshed tears as well as hurt and fear. He was still shivering, though more from what happened than the cold of the tiles that made up the floor.

As azure met aquamarine Tala gave a sigh, the dark look disappearing and being replaced with a slightly concerned one instead. He had walked in on things like this happening before, and then he didn't care about what had happened to those other kids, yet now he didn't understand why he even bothered to stop to help the new kid. It wasn't like him, nor was it like him to get angry over someone else's pain.

With a slow nod the Russian slid down to sit on the tiles next to the curled up Damian, his hands moving to rip some of the towel so he could dab it gently along the bite mark on the shoulder area covered by the pale blue shirt that the younger teen wore. Moving his free hand he began to rub slow circular patterns upon Damian's back, trying to help him calm down so that he could take him to the others and explain what happened. It was clear that Damian wasn't going to be able to explain himself without withdrawing completely.

"We're going to have to go back to Kai and the others so they can know about what happened…" As he felt the muscles under his hand tense Tala gave a partial smile of understanding. "I won't make you talk to them, I'll stay there with you. Just trust me, I'm not going to hurt you." With that Tala stood up, though not before kneeling down and picking up Damian in his arms and holding him close.

Walking out of the shower room and down the hallway Tala was given several odd looks as he carried Damian with him down towards the room where he was supposed to meet Kai and the others at. It was something new for everyone to actually see him carrying someone willingly and looking deadly protective of the person in the meanwhile. It was a day full of many shadowed surprised.


	4. Lullaby

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Rating: R

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Warning: The rating should be enough of a warning.

****

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters of Beyblade.

****

Summary: Saint Ann's Hospital is a place for mentally ill young adults, and when a new patient is transferred to their facility the world there is turned upside down for a handful of the other patients. Can they overcome their problems and be deemed cured, or will they become yet another slanted mind?

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Slanted Mind

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Chapter IV - Lullaby

"Tyson get you lazy ass out of bed or you're going to miss lunch and visiting hours today." Standing at the opened doorway of Tyson's room was Rei, his amber eyes watching as the bundle of blankets shifted and a sleepy face poked out of the top. He didn't look as if he wanted to be woken at the moment, but lunch was a mere ten minutes away.

"Don't make me get Kai to come in there and wake you up. He's still aggravated from what happened last night to the new kid and the fight that erupted because Tala went back. Wait… Tyson, where is Damian? Don't tell me you let him up and go wander around on his own again." There was a pause, amber eyes narrowing at the once more asleep teen. "Tyson, get out of bed!"

"Dude, stop yelling at me, I'm up already." Grumbling his protest the navy haired teen slipped from under the warm covers, his expression near showing he might just fall asleep walking over to get his clothes for the day. "And no I didn't let him wander off. Dr. Tate took him for one on one therapy. He should be back before lunch." Pulling on a tee shirt, loose pants, and his hat Tyson was ready to go, not bothering to put shoes on his sock-clad feet.

"Tyson!" Judy's voice carried easily down the hallway, causing both Rei and Tyson turn to look at her as she made her way towards them, though not empty handed it seemed. Cradled in her arms was Damian, looking peacefully asleep as his head rested against Judy's shoulder gently. The bruise was visible even from the distance at they were at, but the other bandages looked freshly changed.

Stopping in front of the teens Dr. Tate heaved a sigh while resituating the boy in her arms. "I need you to watch him for me until he wakes up from being sedated, Tyson. I'll have lunch sent to your room-" Before she could finish Tyson was already protesting.

"But Ms. Tate, I'm supposed to see your son today at visiting hours! I can't be sitting here watching him and see Max, too. Visitors aren't allowed in our rooms. I was looking forward all week to see him." A light bell sounded throughout the hallway and the hospital, the signal for lunch. "I'm sorry Dr. Tate, but I can't watch Damian right now. I will when visiting hours are over, I promise, but I need to talk to Max about things."

"It's okay Tyson, I'm sure someone else would be willing to watch him. Maybe I'll just put him in the infirmary room on a cot until he wakes up. I have to leave for another hospital for an emergency so I can't watch him myself. Just have fun with the visit, Tyson. Go on and have lunch the both of you." With a grateful smile Tyson dashed down the hallway with Rei at his heels only to turn the corner and race towards the cafeteria.

Turning around to walk back down the hallway Judy gasped, stopping right in her tracks and near loosing balance with Damian in her arms. "Tala! I didn't hear you come up behind me. You should be headed to lunch right now with the others. I heard they were actually serving decent food today with desert."

"I'll watch him." The doctor stared at Tala as if he'd grown another head. She'd seen her herself and knew it was on his record that he didn't get along with people very well nor did he ever offer to help anyone, at times not even himself. "Pardon?" Just to make sure she heard him right Judy asked Tala to repeat himself.

"I said I'll watch him, just have lunch sent to my room." Looking at him in a scrutinizing manner Dr. Tate looked rather weary of letting Tala watch over Damian on just his second day here. A glance was made towards Damian's bruised cheek and then to the cut on Tala's forehead. "You've never been one to just fight somebody who is out of your way, Tala, yet you purposefully went after Robbie last night. I take it that Robbie went after Damian, correct?"

"He needed to learn some respect for other people." It wasn't a straight answer, but it was the only one that Tala was going to give to the doctor. Without questioning him further and offering a thankful smile Judy let the red head take the pale powder blue haired teen from her arms. "He had what the other doctors have called a 'fit' again, but I believe that they happen for a reason. He didn't want to talk to me, but that didn't stop him from talking to himself, yet when Boris came in and attempted to take his plushy… Well hell broke loose and my office is now a disaster area." Glancing at her watch Judy started to walk down the hallway again. "I have to be leaving if I don't want to be late, goodbye Tala."

Looking at the boy in his arms Tala noted that Midnight was absent, and in the turmoil Dr. Tate hadn't noticed. If the others needed him they'd come and find him, though he usually skipped lunch anyways. There really wasn't any way of telling how long Damian would be out, and if he woke he'd probably hungry. They both had the chance of missing dinner as well, as some of the nurses didn't take a liking to the new kid since his first arrival at the hospital.

Walking down the hall just a couple of doors Tala entered his own room where he roomed alone, for precaution's sake. Easily he maneuvered the light body in his arms enough to flick the light switch on, and with his foot the door was closed a good three fourths of the way shut so people couldn't just walk by and see everything in the room. He had been there at the hospital the longest, and that let to him simply both buying himself things for Christmas and getting gifts from his friends as well as Judy on his birthday as well as Christmas. This led his room to be more contently comfortable with a deep orange and black comforter on the twin bed and several beanbags ranging from orange to blue and white in the corner where the dresser was supposed to be. The dresser, instead, had been replaced with a small desk and his clothes stuffed in the small nightstand's two drawers. There were pictures of wolves everywhere, though most of them were white artic wolves with thick white fur and light eyes.

As he lay Damian on his own bed and proceeded to pull off his worn sneakers there was a knock at Tala's door. That meant the food was already there, which was quick for the nurses at the hospital. When he didn't answer it the person walked in on their own accord without even bothering to ask. Azure eyes were met with the crimson of Kai's. "Judy told me I should bring your lunch to your room. What's the new kid doing here?"

"No one else would watch him, and no one likes waking up in the infirmary after being sedated." The answer seemed to be enough of an answer as Kai walked over and put the tray of various foods on the desk's top. "How'd he end up being sedated? I thought he was only going to have his one on one therapy with Dr. Tate? She isn't that ignorant as to provoke him in any way or form, much less anyone provoke anyone at the hospital."

"Boris walked in and tried to take his stuffed animal, from what she tells me that's what happened. It would only figure he was still furious about being hit by the kid. Dr. Tate said that hell broke loose in her office, meaning there was another fight between Boris and Damian. If he doesn't cool it Judy is going to fire him, meaning he won't be able to attempt to torment us or us torment him anymore." Grabbing The Catcher In The Rye book from the nightstand Tala crossed the room to sit in one of the beanbag chairs only to proceed to open the book and start reading from it where he had left off yesterday when Kai had gotten him from the library.

"The sooner he's fired the better. He's more of a danger than the doctor knows. Another batch of medicine has disappeared from the infirmary again, and the nurses are getting restless because they are usually the only ones allowed in the infirmary. If the blame goes to Judy then we're at risk of loosing her as a doctor to us, and I think that's something that no one in here really wants…Well Boris would, of course. When the lights are out I'm going to go and see what I can find out about the missing batches of drugs and medicine." With a light nod of goodbye Kai left the room, letting his Russian friend to think over what he had said.

----

It was late in the night, past lights out where all the doors to the patient's rooms were locked and the lights of the building turned off. Damian hadn't woken up, and upon Judy's return she ordered the nurses and orderlies to let him stay in Tala's room for the night to see if he'd wake up in the morning instead. Tala had fallen asleep reading the last few pages of the book he had borrowed from the hospital's library, his form curled up on the pile of beanbag chairs.

Under the lids of closed eyes azure colored orbs were rolling around almost franticly, and the owner of those eyes was covered in a slick cold sweat from nightmares that came more than several times during the week. Rolling onto his back Tala fought against a none-existent being, kicking and clawing at the air as he cried out in sobbing screams. Drops of salty water trailed from the corner of his eyes, trailing down along the cheekbone and dripping off the chin as he continued to struggle.

Something warm pressed into his chest, and in an immediate reaction Tala wrapped his arms around it deathly tight. Another deep and panicked breath brought a gentle and comforting scent to his senses, smelling of wild berries and vanilla. Slowly the thrashing and crying stopped, leaving the room quiet as the Russian soon settled to lay on his side again clutching the warm object to his chest as if it were a lifeline.

----

Kai listened intently to the sounds outside his room's door, waiting for silence to fall for some time before he shifted from his bed and padded across the carpeted floor towards the door. He was still dressed in his day clothes, his shoes still on and still very much awake. Sticking a hand into his pants pocket he withdrew a thin metal rod that was crooked with kink and bends; it's use was a clear one--to unlock the door that kept all patients in their respective rooms at night.

Sticking the piece of metal into the lock Kai took his time, always listening through the door for any sounds to arise from the other side. There was but a moment of shifting, turning, and twisting before the lock gave a gentle click, signaling it was unlocked. Why, he fathomed, they put a key hole on both sides was beyond him.

Turning the handle he stood silent for another moment, straining his ears to hear the outside hall, waiting patiently until silence greeted him. Fleetingly he glanced back at Rei, smiling fondly at his sleeping boyfriend before cracking the door to peek out then slipping into the hall fully and closing the door behind him.

Making quick work of moving down the hall Kai stuck to the darker shadows, avoiding the night lights that were dull and had great vulnerability. Pressing himself against the wall at the corner he stared towards the main office area, glaring bitterly at the higher guard put up this night. Today he wasn't going to be able to get in, though his trip wasn't going to be in vain.

Moving towards the smaller records office Kai took the liberty of quickening his steps, near jumping into the small office as a nurse came around the corner. Carefully he shut she door behind him, pulling out a pocket flashlight as he moved to the filing cabinets. He was quick to find which file he wanted, pulling out Damian's information and settling himself down on the floor to read. The further the read the more his brows knitted together--this patient certainly was an interesting one.

----

"Do you think we should wake them?" Standing in Tala's doorway was Rei and Kai, watching as the read head slept hugging Damian's plushy to him. Lying on the floor not too far away was Damian wrapped in the black and orange comforter from Tala's bed. The small window that let in the morning light cast a light glow on them both

"I don't think we should, Kitten. Lets go make sure Tyson doesn't barge in here and piss Tala off." Leading Rei out of the room Kai shut the door behind him, walking with the raven-haired teen down the hallways as his arms snaked around his waist to hold him closer. With a smile Rei leaned his head on his love's shoulder, quite content just as they were.

"What'd you find out about those missing drugs from the infirmary?" The words were whispered as they came from Rei's mouth, well know that if anyone heard them talking about it they'd be in a great deal of trouble, if not worse when Boris heard they had been talking about it.

"Not a lot. There were a lot more people about last night then there usually is, which is probably their way of being cautious. I did manage to get a hold of Damian's file, though. He seems to be causing a lot more than he really knows about, and I think we should be looking at why, or try to find out why. I have a feeling Boris has something to do with it, as always. I also stopped this morning to talk to Judy about the kid. It seems for most of his life he was shuffled about orphanages and hospitals like this. The other doctors who've seen him say he's just completely insane and not curable, but Judy simply says it's fear more than anything. A guise to try to make himself seem completely insane despite the fact he is indeed sane.. There was though a few years that aren't accounted for in his life, as if he was wiped from existence for that period of time." Turning down the hall they headed for the same room the four of them met every few days just to be left alone from the other patients. "Only time will tell I suppose."


	5. A Look Through Clouded Eyes

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Rating: R

****

Warning: The rating should be enough of a warning.

****

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters of Beyblade.

****

Summary: Saint Ann's Hospital is a place for mentally ill young adults, and when a new patient is transferred to their facility the world there is turned upside down for a handful of the other patients. Can they overcome their problems and be deemed cured, or will they become yet another slanted mind?

****

A.N.: I know some of you have already read up to this point when I had this story up before.. but can you please, please review? I'm looking for some inspiration here.

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Slanted Mind

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Chapter V - A Look Through Clouded Eyes

A single orb of glossy azure opened only to squint as the dull rays of light shined into it. With a reluctant sigh Tala made a glance at his watch, which read fifteen 'til noon. _I've never slept in this late before, and I could've sworn I was having a nightmare last night…I wish those memories would go away and stop tormenting me like they do. _Opening both eyes as he sat up he made a move to glance around his dully-lit room only to pause as something warm and gently fragrant fell onto his lap. _What's this? _Looking down his azure eyes fell upon the blank panther plushy; it's plastic bright green eyes staring up at him from its position on his lap. Lifting Midnight slowly Tala brought it to his nose, giving a careful sniff before inhaling deeper of the plush's scent. _Aromatherapy…clever. It's relaxing; a calm wild berry and vanilla scent._

__

I remember now, I was having a nightmare. Earlier in the night Kai had stopped by to drop off the stuffed animal so Damian wouldn't be upset when he woke up. A slow sweep of the room revealed the pale powder blue haired boy to still be curled up on the floor with Tala's comforter. _It was after lights out, and I had decided to still keep trying to read even after Kai visited shortly. I must've fallen asleep, and then I remember having the nightmare. It was the same as all the other nights I had them, but something warm was put into my arms, and I remember the smell of those wild berries and vanilla. Damian must've woken up and put Midnight in my arms only to fall back asleep. _A soft, if barely there, smile played on his lips as he watched Damian sleep quietly on the floor in front of him. _It's been so long since I've slept so nicely and haven't woken up from the nightmares._

Looking over at the untouched tray of food on his desk Tala's stomach gave a growl of hunger, as if being demanded that it was fed immediately. _We both need to get something to eat, and lunch is soon. _Scooting over to where Damian lay on the floor Tala carefully, as not to wake him just that moment, put the black plushy under the other's arm. "Damian, it's time for lunch." He didn't mean for his voice to sound so…cold, but it was a habit to keep people from bothering him. It was near quickly regretted when aquamarine eyes fluttered open looking forlorn and partially frightened.

"Judy will want to see you before you eat." Rising to his feet Tala watched as the teen nodded mutely and went about getting up only to put the orange and black comforter back upon the bed where it belonged as well as slipping his shoes on. "I'm sorry I was a burden.." The words were spoken so lightly that Tala barely even caught them before Damian slipped past him and out the room's door only to walk with the soft scuffs of his shoes on the floor down the hall towards Judy's office.

"Scare him away already?" It was Kai's voice that came to Tala's ears, turning to find that Kai was leaning against the now opened door's frame with his arms crossed at his chest. Deep red eyes watched his friend closely, trying to find any sort of hint that the red head hadn't liked his choice of words.

Offering a brief shrug Tala met Kai's eyes with his own azure ones, their stares unnerving to everyone but each other. "He's just another patient in this hospital, and if Tyson would be doing his job I wouldn't have to clean up after him."

"You're lying to yourself Tala, and you and I both know it. He's not just another patient because you don't pay attention to just anybody much less offer to watch over them. Face it, you get along with him because he seems to understand you better than most." Keeping their eyes locked Kai refused to be the first to back down.

"Understands me better than most? No one understands me Kai. No one. I wouldn't be in this hell hole of a place if people even partially understood me." Narrowing his eyes Tala seemed to be just daring Kai to say anything back to him, unfortunately Kai could hold his own against him.

"Then why don't you at least give Damian a chance to try to understand you? Get to know him and let him get to know you, as you're the only one at this point that he seems to be at ease around. Look, it's time for lunch and we both need to eat. Just give it some thought, Tala. Not everyone is out to get you." Turning away from Tala and being the first to break eye contact Kai started walking down the hall only to be just moments later followed by the red head.

"There's just something about him though, Kai. Haven't you seen something just-" Not getting a chance to finish his statement Kai stepped in, finishing it for him. "A tad bit off? I really don't think the doctors are looking at his case the right way. They are looking through a mirror and seeing their own reflection instead of what's behind it, and it's showing in why they don't know what the hell Damian has." With a light shrug Kai turned the corner, heading down the hall towards the cafeteria. "I got a hold of his file last night, like I always do when new kids come in here so we can see what they aren't going to tell us and what we shouldn't ask about. Because of his file I even went to go talk with Dr. Tate. The kid is an orphan and has been shuffled about from place to place like this hospital most of his life, but the strange thing is that there is a few years of his life where he dropped off the face of the world. There's nothing on him at all from that period of time, nothing."

"I take it this has something to do with Boris and those drugs that are being stolen?" A nod from Kai was all the answer Tala received. "It would only figure, and you want me to play babysitter. You're going to end up getting us all into deep shit Kai if you keep nosing around as much as you do. Let things settle down before you start going off on your little escapades in the middle of the night."

"Don't worry about me Tala, I can take care of myself. You just worry about getting yourself together and straight enough so we can get dismissed from this place." Arriving at the opened doors of the cafeteria Kai came to a halt, crimson eyes falling onto the table where Rei, Tyson, and Damian were sitting. The sudden stop nearly made Tala walk into him, narrowly missing his Russian friend. "Why the hell did you stop Kai?"

"Look over at the table where the others are at…Just watch." The words were almost a whisper, as if in awe. Wanting to know what had taken Kai's attention away from what they had been speaking about Tala looked over at the table where the three sat away from everyone else.

Over at the table Rei sat across from Damian with Tyson to the left of the plushy hugging teen. Busy chowing down on his food Tyson didn't pay much attention to the deal that the two were sorting out among each other. Damian's tray of food was untouched before him, yet it was pushed halfway across the table with the silverware facing the Chinese boy across from him.

"Midnight and I agree that if you eat a spoonful of each item on the plate that we'll eat our lunches. If not we won't eat at all." An affirmative nod was given by the aquamarine-eyed teen as he offered a gentle yet determined smile. Rei on the other hand didn't look to be very comfortable with the situation or the arrangement of being pushed into eating. "Damian you haven't eaten since yesterday, you really should be eating your lunch."

"Not until you take a bite of everything for us. If you can go without food so can we, and this is final. I'm sure Tyson would be glad to have the food if nether of us eat it." Reaching out with his uninjured hand Damian pushed the tray all the way across the table so it was now in front of Rei. "Just one bite of everything and Midnight and I will eat the rest."

Heaving a sigh Rei slowly reached out, picking up the spoon and proceeding to glare at it with all his might as if he wished it to be gone. Turning his attention to the tray he looked at the mixed vegetables to the steamed white rice over to the cherry cake desert. Only three bites of food, but it was more than he'd eaten in a long time. He didn't want his friends to starve because of him, but the ultimatum he was given wasn't easy to decide on. First came the spoonful of rice, and a good few minutes later were the vegetables. Opting for the milk rather than the cheery cake Rei set the spoon down, pointing towards the small carton of milk. "I'll drink all that if I don't have to eat the cheery stuff."

Smiling brightly Damian took his tray back only to slide the carton of milk over to Rei. "Deal, but I'm not eating it either. It doesn't look exactly all that edible. Here, Tyson, you can have it." Taking the small plate of cherry cake off his tray Damian slid it to his left and over to Tyson only to snatch a few of his grapes while he was at it.

"Hey! Those are my grapes, so keep your paws off them kid." All Tyson got in response was a tongue being stuck out at him and a grape tossed at him. Holding out a grape to Rei he tried just to get him to eat one. "They're good for you Rei, and they're sweet this time of the year. Just one grape, please?" Giving Rei the puppy-eye look Damian shook the hand holding the grape out to Rei.

"Stop eating my grapes already you grape-swiper you!" Tyson reached out to snatch the second handful of grapes that Damian took only to miss when the teen stood from his seat. Missing the table and Damian completely Tyson ended up as a grumbling heap on the floor. It didn't take long for both Rei and the other teen to burst into a fit of laughing in which they both shared the new game of tossing grapes at Tyson while trying not to get caught.

Soon enough a food fight had started in the cafeteria, all the nurses and orderlies trying to stop the kids as they tossed food at one another only to get caught in the mess themselves as they tried to break up the fight of food. Standing at the doorway Tala and Kai watched in amazement as a group of unhappy depressed teens turned into a laughing crowd of normal average day kids. Tyson was chasing Rei and Damian around the tables while they attempted to duck flying food, though it didn't seem like it was working well because by the time things died down they were all three covered in sticky and messy foods.

"Alright which one of you ungrateful punks started this mess!" The fun and happiness seemed to just drain from everyone's faces as Boris demanded to know the answer upon entering the messy cafeteria. His dark eyes glowered angrily, promising something unpleasant for whomever had started the food fight. Almost immediately several of the younger patients pointed in the direction of Rei, Tyson, and Damian.

"You! I should've just figured it would've been you to start this whole thing Pierce. You've been nothing but trouble with that childish stuffed creature of yours since you've gotten here. This is the last straw, you're going into the solitary confinement room." With his face red with anger Boris stalked towards Damian, Rei and Tyson wisely backing off as their faces paled. They all knew what solitary confinement was and what it did to those who were put into it, but Damian looked indifferent with his gaze wandering off here and there as if nothing was going to happen.

Reaching out to snatch Midnight Boris was irritated by the fact that Damian took a step back and put the pushy behind his back where it couldn't be reached. The hand that had reached out was pulled back only to swing forward to catch the teen on his already bruised cheek in a harsh slap. The other nurses and orderlies stood and did nothing of it, though. They seemed more interested in getting all of the other kids out of the cafeteria.

"To each his suff'rings; all are men,

__

Condemn'd alike to groan,

The tender for another's pain,

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Th' unfeeling for his own.

Yet ah! Why should they know their fate,

Since sorrow never comes too late,

__

And happiness too swiftly flies?

Thought would destroy their paradise.

No more; where ignorance is bliss,

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'T is folly to be wise."

Though Damian's aquamarine eyes never looked towards Boris the quote was very well directed towards him, the words falling from his lips as his gaze continued to wander aimlessly. Where he had been struck again throbbed painfully, but that was pushed to the back of his mind at the moment. He had more important things to pay attention to, like Boris as the man grabbed his shoulder and started to drag him out of the cafeteria. The others watched helplessly as he was dragged away.

"Men fear death as children fear to go in the dark: and as that fear in children is increased with tales, so is the other." Not seeming to like the pale powder blue haired teen's words Boris tightened his grip on the shoulder, the very one that had nearly been dislocated. It was a warning to be quiet, but Damian didn't seem to take notice of the warning, instead he kept on reciting quotes.

"In a word, neither death, nor exile, nor pain, nor anything of this kind is the real cause of our doing or not doing any action, but our inward opinions and principles." The quote was met with another slap to the face, the bruised area of skin at the cheekbone growing a darker shade of dark purple while a slight scratch from a fingernail produced a sticky deep red liquid.

As if finding the whole event to be amusing Damian waved to Tala and the others behind him, his aquamarine eyes dancing with something akin to mischief it almost seemed, yet the quotes kept on coming:

"Farewell! A long farewell, to all my greatness!

This is the state of man: to-day he puts forth

The tender leaves of hopes: to-morrow blossoms,

And bears his blushing honours thick upon him:

The third day comes a frost, a killing front,

And when he thinks, good easy man, full surely

Hiss greatness is a-ripening, nips his root,

And then he falls, as do I. I have ventured.

Like little wanton boys that swim on bladders,

This many summers in a sea of glory,

But far beyond my depth: my high-blow pride

At length broke under me and now has left me,

Weary and old with service, to the mercy

Of a rude stream, that must forever hide me.

Vain pomp and glory of this world, I hate ye:

I feel my heart new opened. O, how wretched

Is that poor man that hangs on princes' favors!

There is betwixt that smile we would aspire to,

That sweet aspect of princes, and their ruin.

More pangs and fears than wars or women have:

And when he falls, he falls like Lucifer,

Never to hope again."

As the two forms turned the corner Damian's voice faded, yet the others looked at each other with a raised eyebrow. The thoughts were all the same: he really was mad. Some of the other kids were chuckling to themselves and laughing at the quotes, as they found it entirely amusing that someone would actually act out against Boris nearly every day he had been at the hospital so far.

"Dude, where is he getting all these quotes from? It's like he's a walking book of quotes from all over the world. Here I was beginning to think we've seen them as crazy as they came, but obviously not. How long will he be in there anyways? He was starting to be fun to hang around, and the first one to actually start a food fight." Cracking a smile Tyson brushed some of the food off of his shirt, yet both he and Rei would have to go and change their clothes unless they wanted to walk around in food-covered clothes all day long.

"His last quote was from Shakespeare, Tyson. One of his plays or something. As for how long he's going to be in there I don't think it will be long after Judy finds out. Boris knows he's not supposed to put patients in there like that." With a light shrug of indifference Tala turned his eyes to looked around the messy cafeteria before turning and starting to walk down the hall. It didn't take long for the other three to fall in step behind him.

Turning into one of the smaller gathering rooms that they were usually in everyday Tala made himself comfortable sitting against the far wall, the book The Catcher In The Rye being pulled from his pocket only to flip to the page he had left off and to start reading. Behind him Kai entered the room, sitting on the love seat and swinging his legs up onto the cushions. The other two went to change their clothes, and as they turned it into a race not too far down the hall it only took about four minutes for them both to come racing back into the room out of breath.

"If I wouldn't have known you two were racing I would say that Boris was walking down the hall and coming after you two for starting the food fight." Crimson eyes watched as Tyson made himself comfortable on the floor, comic in hand while the raven-haired teen came to sprawl out next to Kai. Amber eyes looked up at him thoughtfully.

"Actually now that you say that I would've been thinking that he would've came after me and Tyson after he put Damian in the solitary room. It's like him to do that, but I didn't even see him in the halls. It's a bit odd if you think about it, and we all know he doesn't go lenient on kids despite anything." Resting his chin on Kai's chest Rei watched as the duel-haired teen's brow furrowed.

As if answering the question the handle of the door turned, and after a pause it opened. Everyone was expecting Boris to come barging in, yelling and demanding this and that yet to their surprise a head of pale powder blue peeked in, aquamarine eyes looking cautious as they looked from person to person. After a moment's hesitation Damian stepped into the room, closing the door behind him. Now that he didn't have Boris to be strong in front of he could feel the tears from being slapped several times starting to sting his eyes.

"Damian? Dude, we thought Boris was dragging you off to solitary confinement. Did Judy find you before you were put into the room?" Blinking his dark blue eyes Tyson looked Damian over. His clothes were even changed into something clean, though they still seemed too big for his light frame. Tyson could've swore he saw a slight smirk on the teen's face.

"I thought he deserved some…alone time instead of me." The words were calm, as if it wasn't anything that Damian had indeed put the head orderly into the confined room instead of himself being put there. Tyson looked as if he found it quite hilarious, his laughter filling the room while Rei merely smiled slyly to show him amusement and Kai simply offered a light affirmative nod of his head. Tala on the other hand didn't look as if her was paying the slightest bit of attention of what was going on. In fact he was oblivious to the fact that Damian had taken a seat next to him on the floor. It was only when another quote drifted to his ears that he even turned to look.

"_What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff— I mean if they're running and they don't look where they're going I have to come out from somewhere and catch them. That's all I'd do all day. I'd just be the catcher in the rye and all._"

Forcing himself to look annoyed rather than intrigued Tala glared at Damian, watching as the aquamarine-eyed boy fell silent and scooted a few more feet away from him. Rather than going back to reading the Russian watched Damian, noting that he still hugged Midnight with his good arm, and that he was trying to keep from crying as he dabbed his cut cheek with his shirtsleeve. At some point the finally turned his eyes back to the book, half reading and half glancing over at Damian at the same time.

Getting up from resting sprawled next to Kai on the loveseat Rei made his way over to Damian, smiling softly at him before slipping off the headband that he wore and dabbing gently at the bleeding bruise on the teen's face. Nearly every time there was a flinch away from the touch, but Damian never made any noise or sound of pain. "You should get some ice for that so it won't swell so badly. Maybe one of the nurses or Dr. Tate will give you a band aid for your cheek so it won't bleed everywhere. Would you like me to take you to get some ice?" There was a pause as Damian glanced at Tala only to nod his head and rise to his feet to walk with Rei.

"I'll be back in a few Kai. Damian and I are just going to go find Dr. Tate real quick. She shouldn't be in any therapy sessions yet." With a nod from Kai Rei was Damian out into the hallway. As soon as the two left the crimson-eyed Russian sat up, peering over the loveseat to look at Tala, as if expecting an explanation of some sort.


	6. The Eyes Of A Mirror

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Rating: R

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Warning: The rating should be enough of a warning.

****

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters of Beyblade.

****

Summary: Saint Ann's Hospital is a place for mentally ill young adults, and when a new patient is transferred to their facility the world there is turned upside down for a handful of the other patients. Can they overcome their problems and be deemed cured, or will they become yet another slanted mind?

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Slanted Mind

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Chapter VI - The Eyes Of A Mirror

"Alright Damian, this is our second one-on-one session. You'll join group therapy in the next week if things go all right, and what happened last time isn't being held against you. It wasn't your fault, and I hope you don't think of it as a punishment that you were sedated. Boris is very rash in his decisions, and most he makes aren't the correct ones." With a gentle smile Judy leaned back into her chair, pulling out a pad of paper and a pen to write with from her briefcase. "I'm going to tape today's session like the last one, but if you ever want me to turn it off just say so or feel free to turn it off yourself. I don't want to make you uncomfortable."

Reaching out to the side table next to her Dr. Tate pressed the record button of the tape recorder, setting it up so that it would clearly hear anything in the room if it were said. Resting the pad of paper upon her lap she began jotting down notes before starting to ask questions, her pen strokes smooth yet quick and accurate as they swept across the fresh yellow paper line with blue turned green.

__

The subject sits in the chair closest to the window as the time before, knees pulled up to him while hugging his stuffed animal he calls 'Midnight'. He looks unsure, yet his gaze is turned to look outside. He wouldn't answer any of my questions last time, but I will hopefully get him to speak to me today instead of talking to 'Midnight' and someone who isn't there.

"Good morning Damian, it's nice to see you again." Upon both hearing and seeing no response Judy continued. "I've noticed you've made some friends here, I'm happy for you. Tyson, Kai, Rei, and Tala are all good people. Tyson enjoys my son's company a lot, and vice versa. They get along really well, and even when in his depressed state of bi-polar Tyson is always happy to be around my Max. Here, I want you to look at a picture that he took with Tyson a few weeks ago so you know what he looks like."

Reaching back into her briefcase Judy pulled out a small picture frame with a picture in it, leaning forward only to set it upon the table in between herself and Damian. Sitting back in her chair Judy waited to see if Damian would do anything, her pen already swaying along the yellow tablet even before Damian responded.

__

The picture I let the subject to see is of Tyson and Max in the outdoor area of the hospital. The two are sitting together under one the large oak tree just outside the pond, and they're smiling at the camera. I want to see how the subject reacts at seeing someone so happy that he knows (Tyson) outside the hospital. Interest has grabbed him as he turns his eyes away from the window and to the face down picture, the subject looks curious yet unsure. He looks at me, as if I need to give him permission to touch the picture even after putting it in front of him to look at. I nod to him and he carefully picks up the picture frame. Again he looks at me. -Note: Damian is constantly checking to make sure that he is still allowed to do something.- after nodding to the subject he turns the picture frame over to see the picture, and at a length of time he just stares at it. Subject looks thoughtful as he tilts his head at the picture, yet after a near five minutes I can see him smile. This is good.

"You can have the picture, Damian. I have one on my desk to keep or myself, and the two in the picture have one of their own as well. I have pictures of the others as well, if you want them." Dr. Tate smiled, moving towards her briefcase to retrieve more pictures for the teen sitting in front of her.

"He's afraid.." Aquamarine eyes blinked slowly and thoughtfully at the picture, the smile fading into a frown as Damian ran his fingers over the pictures. Picking up the rest of the pictures Judy put them in her lap, her pen scratching the noted change in Damian's features. "Who's afraid?"

"Tyson's afraid. He's afraid of loosing something he doesn't have. It's in his eyes and his body posture, how he sits so close to your son Max. When he dreams, he dreams of him, but he's always too far from reach in those dreams. You can see the love in both their eyes, but Tyson's still afraid. He wants Max, and he has made himself believe that he can't have him." Turning the picture over Damian set it face down back onto the table, pushing it away from him. "Thank you, but no thank you."

"You see all that in just a single picture, Damian? That's truly amazing. I'm going to put a picture down of each of your friends one at a time, and if you feel up to it I'd like you to tell me what you see in the picture just like Tyson's, okay?" Taking the first picture back Judy placed another one face down on the table, this time Rei's.

__

The subject is showing that he's more intelligent than he makes himself seem, and his look on the picture of Tyson was completely different than one that I've gotten from his other friends. The subject has nodded an agreement to my asking of him to tell what he sees in each picture that I have taken of his friends. The one I have out now is of the patient Rei Kon. Once again he reaches out to take the picture, looking at me for a nod before he takes the picture and picks it up. He's quiet for four and a half minutes before speaking.

"Rei doesn't believe he's good enough for anybody, and the thinks he isn't physically pleasing. He doesn't think that Kai is happy with the way he looks, so he keeps starving himself. He knows it's wrong, you can see that in his eyes. He's afraid of loosing what he already has; Kai. He's loyal, he doesn't want his friends to suffer because of him." Turning the picture back over Damian placed it neatly back upon the table only to pick up another in which Judy had placed down while he was speaking. All while he spoke the doctor was jotting down on her pad of yellow tinted paper.

Flipping the new picture over aquamarine eyes gazed intently at the stoic picture of Kai, and after a moment Damian brought the picture closer to his face and sat back into his seat. This time he was silent for nearly twice the period of time, but grateful that Judy wasn't pushy about him answering quickly. "Kai is hard to tell about, he wears his mask very well. Someone was very hard on him as he grew up as a young child, a family member that had power over him. That's why he stands to tall and acts so tough, it's because he isn't supposed to show weakness. Kai… He's afraid.. He's afraid of failing, and he feels that if Rei continues to suffer that he's failing in making him better. He believes he is useless…"

Judy was startled when Damian suddenly sat forward, slapping the picture down facedown onto the table where he had picked it up from. His edginess and shaky hands were noted on the pad of paper in her lap, and the hesitation to pick up the last picture was jotted down as well. She was afraid if she said anything to him that he'd refuse and back down from looking at the pictures. That wasn't something that was either positive or wanted.

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The last picture the subject has to look at is of the patient Tala Valkov. He's been here the longest out of the five that have grouped together here at the hospital. Tala has been a hard one to read from the start, so had Kai. I believe that because the subject has interacted with the other four and has been in so many places like these that he has more understanding of the other patients. He is hesitant to look at the picture, but after holding it face down for nearly a full minute it's turned over. The color from his face drains, and his eyes begin to water. I don't want to pressure him, and unless things get out of hand I will continue to let him look at the picture. The picture is of Tala at the last year's Christmas party. The subject has been staring at the same photo for over fifteen minutes, and over that time color has returned to his face and the unshed tears have disappeared. He looks indifferent as he intensely looks at the photo. The session is almost over, and I am reluctant to have to stop him. I wish to know what he sees with his eyes.

"Someone hurt him…over, and over, and over again. He doesn't understand why, or what he did, but he thinks it was all his fault. He believes it had to be something that he did or that person who hurt him wouldn't have done it. Tala… He relives every hurt as nightmares night after night, and only in his sleep does he cry because he can't control himself while he slumbers. So he doesn't get hurt again Tala pushes himself away from others, but that is also to protect them as well. He thinks he's dangerous because he believes that since he was hurt so many times that he is going to hurt them." Passing his fingertips over Tala's solemn face in the picture Damian hugged Midnight closer to him just a moment later, the tears coming back as his breathing quickened.

Quickly jotting down several noted Judy soon set the pad of paper aside, forgetting about the audio recorder as she rose from her seat to start moving with careful steps around the table in between herself and Damian. She knew the warning signs of hysterics, and if she didn't calm the teen down she was going to be dealing with one very emotionally upset and overturned teenager. "Damian, it's okay. You don't have to look at the pictures anymore. No one can hurt you or any of your friends here, not anymore. I won't let them, I promise. Damian, look at me and take slow deep breaths. I'll take you outside today, how does that sound? You, Midnight, and your friends can all go outside today. It's such a wonderful day out, just perfect outdoor weather."

A mute nod was given by Damian, wide aquamarine eyes staring as Dr. Tate stepped away and went to open the door for the both of them. With shaky steps the teen himself soon started to follow Judy, hugging both now the picture and the stuffed black panther to his chest. Making sure that the teen concentrated on her face Judy walked backwards in slow steps, taking a few back and waiting for Damian to follow her. He was still breathing in short and quick gasps, but he seemed to be very slowly calming, even if just the slightest that it was barely notable. The two made their way down the hall in this fashion, past open doors where other patients were. As nurses and orderlies glanced at the doctor she waved them off as discreetly as she could, not wanting to startle Damian or have him loose his track of attention on her all together.

"Well if it isn't the new kid, what's wrong you look a little scared there." Stepping out from the arcade room the pale blue-eyed teenager from days earlier gave a grin towards the half-stumbling-half walking form of Damian. Though he thought it was amusing to interrupt what was going it was clear that Judy did not. "Robbie Mitchell! You had better do a 180 and turn around to waltz yourself back into that room young man. Don't you dare even think about laying a single finger on him or I'll have you sent to solitary for a week!" Anger flared into Judy's voice as Robbie gave the doctor a shit-eating grin that said he didn't give a flying fuck.

Damian, whom hadn't seemed as if he was registering all that was going around him, was still moving forward, wide eyes on Judy even though she had stopped moving herself. It wasn't until Robbie had snatched away Midnight causing the picture to flutter face-up onto the floor that he seemed to actually notice the close proximity of the other male, and he froze completely while staring down at the picture. The older teen followed his eyes to the picture, his mind changing gears from just causing trouble to being outright pissed.

"So it's your fault that the red head beat the snot out of me the one day! You little brat, I warned you about your manners already." Stuffed animal forgotten Robbie allowed Midnight to fall with a gentle thud onto the ground. The now free hand swooped down to grab a handful of the front of Damian's shirt, pulling the kid to face him while also lifting him into the air. "You're going to pay, you hear me you punk? You're going to pay for getting me beat up, and it's going to hurt worst than last time."

"Robbie Mitchell you put him down this instant! Orderlies, get him off of Damian, now!" Even with fiery anger laced with her demanding words the orderlies just stood there, acting as if they hadn't heard her orders. It was as if they didn't care if they were fired, or if they cared about what was possibly going to happen to Damian if they didn't separate Robbie from him. Other patients were already poking their head out from the other doors in the hall, some even looking from around the corners of both the girls and boy's dorm halls.

With a menacing yet clearly less sane than it should be grin the pale blue eyed boy pulled his free hand back, forming it into a clenched fist as he prepared to wail on the teen that he held up in front of him. So caught up in himself Robbie didn't notice the subtle change in Damian's aquamarine eyes, and he was all to slow to block the sudden shoe covered foot that kicked up to hit his temple painfully. The sudden throb of pain spreading along his skull and down the side of the face caused the older teen to let go of Damian, dropping his form to the ground where he attempted to crawl away. Judy was helpless in the matter, as she was only a doctor not someone built to keep two people apart. Not only that but two of the orderlies were keeping her from getting to the two boys.

Quick to recover and near twice as angry Robbie grabbed at Damian's ankle, barely missing the next kicked aimed at his head as well with the leg that was still free. With a rumble of annoyance the teen pulled the pale powder blue haired male to slide across the tiles floor and under his hovering form. It was only a mere few seconds later before Damian was helplessly pinned down, his pointless squirming ending in a shrill scream of cries calling for help, the last one calling for Tala before a hand closed over his throat and cut off the air supply from getting to his lungs.

Lungs burning, vision blurry, and mind fading away Damian began to wonder if anyone was going to even step forward, or if he was going to have to suffer through another one of Robbie's thrills. It then suddenly that he could take in air again, the hand no longer on his throat as he coughed and gasped for the air that he was deprived of. He could hear the scuffle going on; the cursing, the hits that connected and the floor giving a light tremor every time a body hit the floor. He could feel hands trying to pull him away from the area of the fight, whose he couldn't tell due to his vision still being blurry, but they soon disappeared as the fight care terribly close to hitting who had been trying to help Damian.

Crawling onto his kneels after sitting up unsteadily Damian blinked his clouded eyes several times, still gasping in fresh breaths of oxygen while trying to still figure out what was going on and who was fighting now. He could hear yelling, a lot of it now from many of the other patients in the building. And then there were the orderlies that were yelling as well, but their voices were dwindling. When his vision finally blurred Damian took in the sight before him.

Kai was fighting off an orderly who looked like he was gone after Rei, and at his side helping with another orderly was Tyson. Nether of the two looked very happy, and Rei looked to be growing angrier as each millisecond passed. The other patients were helping as well, keeping the male nurses off and away from Judy while helping each other out. Everything was out of hand, and it didn't look as it the chaos was going to stop anytime soon. Boris was nowhere in sight, but fighting Robbie once again was Tala, and they both looked deathly determined to harm each other.

Groggily and on unsteady feet Damian rose to stand, his gasping breaths calming into mere panicked ones as he tried to still sort things out properly. That's when he noticed Tala's picture on the floor along with Midnight, both in which were scooped up immediately and pocketed just as quickly before anything else were to happen to them. Watching as Tala caught a nasty punch and fall back and onto the ground caused Damian to grow frustrated and overly determined to protect his new found friend from being hurt. He refused to let him be hurt again. Stalking towards Robbie while glowering angrily at the older teen his aquamarine eyes seemed to darken with a thick predatory look. He was no longer the docile and easily frightened teen, but now the angered and dangerous one.

"Nevermore. Quoth the Raven, Nevermore!" Moving to stand between Robbie and Tala the aquamarine eyed teen seemed to just be daring the bulky teen to even come any closer to him or Tala for that matter. "Then with no throbs of fiery pain, _No cold gradations of decay,_ Death broke at once the vital chain, _And freed his soul the nearest way._" The words were hissed through clenched teeth, and Robbie finally faltered, taking a step back only to be advanced upon by Damian.

"Stay away from me you freak! Stop coming closer, just stay away! Stop looking at me like that; stop looking at me with those hollow eyes. Get away from me.." Being backed up against a wall Robbie lost what control he actually had over the smaller and younger teen before him, cowering as he slid down the wall.

A hand on his shoulder caused Damian to turn, darkened eyes softening as they gazed up into azure blue eyes that stared down at him. The fighting was coming to an end, the authorities called and the penitents starting to be ushered back into their rooms only to be locked in there so they could cause no further trouble while everything was sorted out. Damian went with Tala to his room, not bother to ask if it was okay. He felt safer with him, and still yet he felt that he still needed in some shape or form to protect Tala though he was in no clear visible harm now.


	7. Mocking Bird

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Rating: R

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Warning: The rating should be enough of a warning.

****

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters of Beyblade.

****

Summary: Saint Ann's Hospital is a place for mentally ill young adults, and when a new patient is transferred to their facility the world there is turned upside down for a handful of the other patients. Can they overcome their problems and be deemed cured, or will they become yet another slanted mind?

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A.N.: Review people! I want to know what you think when you read this! Good.. Bad.. Whatever; just let me know!

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Slanted Mind

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Chapter VII - Mocking Bird

The fight the day before had left Saint Ann's Hospital for young adults to be on strict lock down for three weeks while everything was being sorted out and dealt with. All the nurses and orderlies had been dismissed from their jobs for good, and new ones hired by Doctor Judy Tate herself. The police stuck around for a full week, yet even then Boris still couldn't be located but was clearly linked to the disappearances of many drugs as well as several children during the incident. Many other patients were transferred to other hospitals to continue with their treatments, and the whole mess created chaos that lasted a few weeks after the complete lockdown was over. Some things never returned to be the same as it had been before, but there was always a clear and constant buzz of insecurity around the hospital. The comfortable air never really returned, and to a handful of patients it was a wakeup call telling them to get out of the hospital all the more quickly.

It was only the second day of lockdown before most of the patients grew restless, and upon wanting answers for himself while also trying to figure out why he was reacting the way he was Tala went forth to question Damian. The Russian was sitting up on his bed with the other teen curled up on a beanbag chair on the floor and staring at the far wall across the room. "Damian why didn't you go back to your own room with Tyson like you were supposed to?"

There was a pause before Damian answered, his aquamarine eyes lifting to rest upon Tala slowly. "You don't want me here?" The question was avoided completely, as if not wanting to answer it. "I'm sorry... I'll try to stay out of your way, just pretend I'm not here." Damian spoke softly, as if hurt or sad that his presence wasn't wanted. Rolling over onto his other side he hugged the stuffed black panther Midnight to his chest with loose arms.

"But why are you here? Why are you in this hospital, why did you follow me into my room? You avoided my last question; I'd like it to be answered as well as all my other questions that I have for you, like why are you unaccounted for around two years of your life? You're like no one else here, as if everything is an act, and you adapt to everything entirely too quickly. You know things, and I want to know what you know." The tone of Tala's voice suggested that he was growing irritated as well as annoyed at the lack of answers that he was receiving.

As the stretch of silence began to grow longer the teen on the bed grew more impatient, very unhappy that he wasn't being answered at all. Azure eyes narrowed darkly, and as if he was trying to pluck more patience from out of nowhere Tala clenched his fists at his side. He didn't want to loose his calm, but it was quickly coming down to it despite the fact that he was most at ease around Damian.

Playing with the hem of his shirt's sleeve Damian remained utterly quiet, as if oblivious to the fact that he was being asked questions of any sort or that he wasn't even alone in the room. Aquamarine eyes were staring dully at the wall that the beanbag was situated against, as if there was something there that only he saw.

"Damian.." It was a simple warning from Tala, his voice almost a growl as he ground out the name between clenched teeth. He was about to say something else when the other teen finally spoke up, his voiced question innocent sounding while it dealt a lethal blow to Tala and his reality, "Tala, who hurt you so badly?"

He didn't understand how Damian knew, as he hadn't told anybody about why he was diagnosed with post dramatic stress disorder. The only people that knew were a small group of police and detectives in a whole different country, but other than them nobody knew what had happened to him or what caused his disruptive nightmares.

"I don't know what you're talking about Damian, no one hurt me-"This time it took not even a sliver of a second for the pale powder blue haired teen to respond. "You're lying to me, and to yourself as well. Someone hurt to over, and over, and over again. Who hurt you, who made you suffer so badly that you have nightmares in your sleep?"

"You don't know what you're talking about Damian, this is all in your head. No one has hurt me, and everyone has nightmares from time to time. Just answer my questions." Azure eyes narrowed at Damian's back, watching as the teen shifted to sit up and turn to face him. His glare didn't seem to effect him as much as he would've liked because the aquamarine eyed youth simply sat there calmly.

"If I answer a question you have to answer one of mine, and if you want to ask another I get to ask another as well. It's the only way either of us are going to get answers from one another." Shifting to sit Indian style Damian let his words sink in, Midnight resting in the crook of his right arm. For the most part he was healing rather well, the bandages from his hand gone to reveal only a few scratches while most of his bruises were faded away as well. The teen looked like a normal kid sitting there, albeit wearing clothes too big for him and carrying around a plushy.

"Fine. My first question is why are you here at Saint Ann's Hospital? I want the truth, not some made up answer just to get me to stop asking questions." Tala was rewarded with a soft nod, watching as a thoughtful pair of aquamarine eyes drifted off of his form to stare up at the ceiling.

"Why I'm here.. That's a difficult question to answer. I suppose I'm here because I'm trying to find a place where I belong, someone whom I can trust with my own life. No, I'm not exactly here because I have some disorder, but I suppose if anything I truly do suffer from some light form of depression. I'm here at Saint Ann's because I was sent here like any other kid, though only more so because someone wanted me to be sent here." Damian stopped there, as if on purpose to raise the sense of curiosity of wanting to know whom had sent him here among other questions as well. "My turn to ask a question; Tala, who hurt you..?"

Taking his time to digest the information Tala didn't answer right away, his lips setting into a grim line as his own gaze soon looked away. He was uncertain if he wanted to share the information that he had told no one before, and he was afraid of being treated different because of it. He was afraid of the nightmares that claimed his sleep and tormented his soul. Taking a deep breath and letting it go as a light sigh Tala finally answered the question, though not as in detail as Damian had done. "My father hurt me.."

There was no response from Damian, showing that he wasn't going the press the answer any further. Tala was grateful for this, but it didn't lessen the discomfort he was in. It was as if admitting those words to somebody tore down his secure little world and left him naked to the harsh facts of reality, which in truth he wasn't ready to deal with. Willing himself to hold his composure Tala went on to ask another question, "You said that someone wanted you sent here, so who was this person?"

"I don't really know the person's name, but he was a nice enough old man. At first I thought he had wanted to adopt me, though after more thought about the matter it was clear that he didn't want to and only wanted to send me here for some purpose of his own. He was friendly about the whole matter, but he didn't mention anything about me getting hurt while being here. I've been in worse places before, and this is a nice step up from those other places I've been at before." A light smile graced Damian's lips, as if very fond of the fact he was in a place better than he had been in beforehand. His demeanor was calm, as if not disturbed by the fact he was bringing up things about himself that could at some point cause pain.

At the smile Tala frowned, his gaze having drifted back to the aquamarine-eyed youth on the floor when his question was being answered. There was no doubt that the other was going to ask more about his past, and he was trying his best to prepare himself for what he knew was coming. Holding his breath he waited for the question about what his father had done to him to come, yet he was mildly surprised when it didn't come but the question that was asked surprised him even more because he didn't have an answer.

"You looked out for me when Robbie molested me, and again when I was sedated from having had another scuffle with Boris. You also tried to protect me from Robbie again, why? I had gotten the impression from others that you didn't care what happened to other people around here other than Kai, Rei, and occasionally Tyson." Giving his head a soft tilt to the side Damian waited for his answer, his gaze constantly wandering from one thing to another yet never really falling to rest upon Tala himself.

Why was a very good question indeed, and even as the silence between them pressed on Tala couldn't find a proper answer to give Damian. He didn't know the answer to the question, yet he desperately wanted to know it. What he felt for Kai and what he felt for Damian were two completely different things, yet he couldn't really place the feeling. He knew that Kai was a friend, someone he could trust as well as talk to when he needed it, but was that how he felt towards the teen before him? Tala knew he felt some form of trust towards Damian, but it was somehow different. He never tried talking to him like he would with Kai over the years, but he was content with the comfortable and mutual silence they had around one another. With a soft sigh Tala leaned back against the wall his bed was against, the look of intense thought clearly written upon his features.

__

Could I say I like him as a friend? Yes, I feel as if I can trust him with much more than what I trust Kai with, but does that mean Damian is just my friend? No, that doesn't sound nor feel right. I feel as if he has more of a connection with me than a simple friend, but do I like him like that? Could I like him like that after what my father has done to me? Would it make the nightmares and memories go away if I let someone inside my barriers? I just don't know, and I don't understand.. I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to voice what I might possibly feel for him, to answer his question truthfully. Dr. Tate always told me that life is full of risks, maybe I should take one of those risks now.

Stretching out his legs and slipping forward Tala moved from off of his bed, his sock clad feet taking him across the carpeted floor only to kneel in front of Damian. This seemed to really get his attention, aquamarine eyes finally resting upon Tala and meeting his own azure ones. The calm demeanor seemed to fade away to a less unsure one as Tala shifted to settle next to him upon the large pile of beanbags. "I don't know why Damian, I really don't know why I did.."

"Tala.. If I tell you something, will you promise not to hold it against me..? I don't want people to hate me, to despise me, to look down upon me.. but I know some things that you should know. It's different this way, do you understand? If I tell you then you can do something about it--to stop it," stated Damian slowly, as if he was unsure how Tala would react to this.

"I won't hate you--what possibly could you have to say that would make me hate you? No one is perfect; it's their faults you learn to lo--like. Come now, look at me and say what you need to say.. We do have several weeks to just sit around in each other's company," commented Tala, as if reassuring the younger male that he didn't have to say what he wished right now if he didn't want to.

"There is a place, maybe two hundred miles from here, that's out in the middle of the desert. The building looks deserted, but it isn't--all the life is underground where no one can see. It's a dangerous place… many dangerous people there. However it's not a prison, but I suppose you would call it an organization. They call themselves Biovolt, the scientific minds of the future. If anything they're sicker than anyone of us at the hospital is with their twisted ideas of science. They're not sane, I can tell you this.. Crazy men and women, all of them.. So bent on experiments that would ultimately kill one from utter insanity--claw your own eyes out, chew your own tongue off, beat your head to a pulp against a brick wall. Their experiments just want their freedom.." Pausing Damian looked up to find Tala watching him with a slow deep in thought look, and after a moment of letting it all sink in he continued.

"I speak as if I know this place.. Because I do. I knew Boris as well before I even came to this hospital--he went to that place where I was at for two years, the very same two I went missing for. This place isn't somewhere you want to end up.. Ever. It's a cruel place, and despite the fact I was already a little strange in the head--my own doing seeing as I really just wanted people to leave me alone for the time being--they made it so much undeniably worse. As for what they did to me I couldn't really tell you because I've forced myself to forget it all, to know that it happened, acknowledge it, yet not remember the finer details. But anyways," rushed Damian, wishing to change the way his choice of words were going.

"That missing medication…the drugs, the children--that is where they all go. Some of us come back from there, though most never again see the light of day. The reason for me being shuffled around is that I voluntarily forced myself to be moved from place to place trying to keep out of their grasp--they still got a hold of me. These medications and drugs.. They're being used on the kids after they've been altered in some way shape or form. It becomes like an addiction, a high you can never get off from without going into a withdraw that might indeed kill you. In the long run it changes people.. It makes them different in their own way, though very many do go quite crazy and kill themselves--it's freedom to them-- the only way possible." With a sigh Damian rolled onto his side and curled up, hugging Midnight tight to his chest and taking deep breaths of the scent it held.

"With what they did to me," he continued before Tala could say anything. "It made me see things I really didn't care to. I could figure people out within moments--knowing all their strange hidden quirks and know how to very well adapt to how they act. I see what people try to hide.. Pictures are always the worse because they show more than I should truly know. I hate it--I hate being like this, not being able to control what I see and don't see. I want to take time to get to know someone.. I want to have to learn about them the hard way, not by simply just being able to tell." By now Damian was near in tears, voice breaking as he tried to blink the wetness from his eyes.

There was the sound of shifting before Tala pulled the curled up form into his lap, arms slinking around the slim waist that the baggy shirt Damian wore hid. He wasn't sure what to say to all this, as he was still trying to absorb and make sense of it all. He knew Kai needed to hear all of this, yet he also knew he needed to get them all out of the hospital and into normal life. With a low hum of thought Tala pushed everything to the back of his mind for now--Damian trusted him enough to tell him this, to not use it against him. There was still weeks left for them to discuss this another time, but for now the other needed comforting, and soon a song came to mind.. A lullaby he'd heard as child. Indeed it was a bit childish, but it was the only thing that came to mind at the moment.

"Hush, little baby, don't say a word.  
Mama's gonna buy you a mockingbird  
And if that mockingbird don't sing,  
Mama's gonna buy you a diamond ring"

With the faintest of smiles Tala took on of Damian's hands, running his fingertips over the back then turning it over to do the same to the palm. Ending at the ring finger he made an imaginary circle around it to be like an imaginary diamond ring. Before continuing Tala wove his fingers in between the others and grasp his hand, holding it until Damian would want it released.

"And if that diamond ring turns brass,  
Mama's gonna get you a looking glass  
And if that looking glass gets broke,  
Mama's gonna get you a Billy goat"

Moving his free hand Tala made a circle in the air to act as a looking glass, pretending there was a handle and holding it out in front of himself. However as if the glass had broken her made a crumbling motion with his hand before making the head of a billy goat out of the shadows with his hand.

"Hush oh hush the night birds call  
Hush oh hush the dark must fall"

Damian was relaxing more now, settling down though there was the occasional sniff and wipe of the eyes. Right now they were both just teens sitting there in a dark room together, nothing wrong with either of them mentally or physically-- they just wanted comfort from each other's presence.

"And if that Billy goat don't pull,  
Mama's gonna get you a cart and bull  
And if that cart and bull turn over  
Mama's gonna get you a dog named Rover"

A shadow figure of a dog's head was made now, and after a moment Tala used his finger to write out the name 'Rover' into the air. This got a smile out of Damian, and Tala mentally made a note of this before continuing with the lullaby to help soothe both himself and Damian.

"And if that dog named Rover don't bark  
Mama's gonna get you a horse and cart  
And if that horse and cart fall down  
You'll still be the sweetest little baby in town"

Making the shadow figure of the dog again Tala made a barking motion with it before dropping his arm to wrap back around Damian's waist loosely. He didn't want to seem overly clingy, but Tala felt he just wanted to be close to the other. To forget the past, to act towards him like he hadn't done towards anyone else before.

"Hush oh hush the night birds call  
Hush oh hush the dark must fall.."

As his voice faded away Tala let silence take over, listening to the now calm and rhythmic breathing of Damian--he had fallen asleep. With a content sigh the red head leaned back comfortably, allowing Damian to rest back against him so they were both less likely to wake with cramped muscles and irritable with one another.


End file.
